38 Bird- Lore
tiou of such bird or plumage; (soc. a) Local governments may extend the protec» tion of the Act to ‘any animals of game other than birds.
In order to promote bird protection and arouse more general ittter st in the subict‘t, four branches of the Engl h Society for the Protection of Birds have been established in India. These branches (beginning with tlte main one) in tire
have been formed following cities: Lucknow, 1900 lsecretary. w. Jesse, t.a Mattiniete College); Bouts b (8‘)!) (secretary. F. Comlttt): Jtlnagnd. Gujarat, 1899 Lahhshauket Laxntidas): and Colombo, Ceylon, 1895 (secretary, S. G, A. jttliu ). Through the etiorts of these organizations, and through appeals made tothe Viceroy. Iiord Curzont the governmental India was indttced to
(secreta rv,
issue a circular in August, inoo, addressed to the local governments, in\iting‘ attention to the \\'i|d Birds‘ Protection Act of 1887, anti requesting information as to the pltltne trade. and the destruction of wild birds, In 190!
secur-
pnrtit‘ulnrl)‘ insectivomtts specie‘ the Stwiety regulations for the protection of
was instrumental in ing new ‘Egrets Under these regulations killing trout April (5 to ottoher 3i is prohibited, and the possession of recently captured Herons or the importation of plumage during the breeding season is forbidden.
In 1902 an important step in advance was made by the government by the iss e ot the following order, which appeared in the ‘Gazette of India‘ of September 20, and which we quote as it was pub shed in a letter by Henry Beauchamp to the ‘ London Field ’ for October 18, 1902:
'- SIR You were kind enough to publish a contribution from me on this subject a few months ago. A step has now been taken by Lord Curmn’s Government which will go a long way towards protecting birds in India from indiscriminate slaughter for the sake oi their skins and feathers. It is contained in the following notification in the ‘Gazettc of India‘ of September 20:
and Herons throughout Burma.
-- ‘In exercise oi the power conferred by Section 19 of the Sea Custom Arr, t378 (vi of 1878l, the Governor-General in Council
is pleased to prohibit the taking by sea or by [and out of British India of skins and leathers of all birds other than domestic hirt except (a) feathers of ostriches and(bl skins and feathers exported bona tide as specimens illustrative of natural history.’
“ Byth . merit of India has pttt an effectual stop on the export trade in htrds‘ feathers and skins '. and it is solely the export trade which en-
ery simple measure the Govern-
t‘ourag’es slaughter, the demand tor skins and feathers in India itself being practically In One of the mo. curious features of this particular trade httherto has been the
enormous export of gay-plumaged birds‘ skins to the Straits and to China, where they are made into festival rohes for use by rich Chinamen. This will now be effectu- ally prevented Indeed, as regards the whole question generally, I cannot help thinking that the Government of India has hit upon the simplest, easiest and most elict'tivt‘ of all devices and that there will now be no need fora Wild Birds’ Protec~ tinn AI‘I, ior, generally speaking, the na— tives of India do not kill wild birds ‘for the pot.‘—Ht~:mtr Benccnnmn Mndrnr, September 2
Although the natives as a rttle do not kill llirIlS, in most cantonments and mu- nicipal men called shi- karees earn a living by killing game and other birds for salet These shikarees rely chiefly on snares, bird-lime. and nets, to capture their game, and they often travel long distances on toot or by rail to reach places where birds are abttndant. As the destruction of birds, especially of those killed (or the sake of their plumage, is due chielly to the demands of foreign trade, it is hoped that the non»export order, in con- nection with other existing laws and orders, will exert a potent influence in preserving the native species.
towns a few
Reports of Societies
North Carolina Audubon Society
The North Carolina Audubon Society has been in existence for nearly ten months, and is gradually getting its forces together into a complete and substantial organiza-
